


Jongho Needs A Hug

by RawrSharks



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Cuddling, Fluff, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:13:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26961208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RawrSharks/pseuds/RawrSharks
Summary: Title says it all; Jongho needs a hug and he knows just the person to give him one.---Happy Birthday Jongho, here's a little comfort fic to celebrate <3
Relationships: Choi Jongho & Song Mingi
Comments: 11
Kudos: 79





	Jongho Needs A Hug

**Author's Note:**

> All I want to say is that Jongho loves ateez very much and he likes cuddling with them so if yall can stop making him out to be some cold-hearted, disinterested stronk stoic boy that'd be great. Happy Bday Jongho !!! <3 <3 <3

But he didn’t want to ask for one. It wasn’t that he was nervous about whether any of his members would give him a hug, but rather that it seemed like a childish thing to ask for. Any one of his hyungs would rush to happily scoop him up into their arms, but they would be just as eager to tease the living hell out of him for revealing his dependence on skinship.

_Aigo, our Jjongie wants a hug?_

_Aw, how cuuuuute._

_What are you feeling okay? Do you want the manager?_

_Are you trying to trap me?_

_Baby, baby, do you need a hug?_

_Show me your aegyo first, c’mon._

_You like skinship, don’t you Jjongie?_

_Guys, guys, guys, wait group hug with maknae!_

_You want hyung to make it better?_

Absolutely the fuck not. He just wanted a hug, not a circus show. And he wasn’t feeling down or anything either; he just wanted to cuddle something warm. And maybe have someone play with his hair until his mind could only think of sleep.

Really this was his own fault in the making. Back when they were trainees, Jongho had been young and brash and very determined to set everyone else straight that while he was the youngest, he was not someone to baby. The most anyone got to touch him in those early days was the feeling of his hand playfully slapping their shoulder or his dreaded finger flick that would knock their souls into orbit if they were unlucky enough to lose a game and earn a punishment.

He just didn’t want anyone to overlook him because of his age or to shield him from responsibility that he knew he could shoulder and help out with. He was a member of his team equal to the rest of them, and he wanted them to rely on him without having to worry about age-appropriate behavior. He would take care of them just as they took care of him, and if it took a little distancing, a little posturing to show off his maturity, then so be it.

But now he realized that he may have set that line a little too hard. Because now it was _a thing_ , and he was going to have to employ his usual sneaky tactics to get what he wants without drawing too much attention to his unusual behavior. That meant cornering one of his members when they were alone and stealing them into his embrace while they were too preoccupied to really think about who they were cuddling and why.

Today there was someone’s warmth that he missed in particular, and luckily for him that person resided in one of the most exclusive parts of the dorm. Jongho only hesitated a little before he quietly pushed into Mingi’s room. It used to be their room until he moved out a few months ago so he could stay up late into the night playing video games with the rest of the 99-line. It was why he didn’t bother to knock, between them there was no need.

Mingi was sitting up in his bed reading a book, and he was so deep into its pages that he didn’t look up as Jongho shut the door behind him and strode across the room. The man was already dressed for bed or rather in lazy clothes that he only wore around the house and then always fell asleep in without changing. He was soft and inviting with his short, blonde hair messily falling into his eyes and his plaid sweatpants rolled up to his knees. Jongho didn’t bother to ask either before he grabbed at Mingi’s shoulders to pry him far enough away from the wall so he could slip behind him instead.

Mingi only grumbled a little as he jostled around and made himself comfortable. In the end, Mingi was slouched down between his outstretched legs with his head resting against Jongho’s chest and his elbows propped up on the maknae’s thighs so he could still hold his book up to read. There were no complaints or questions, not even a hello as Mingi settled back down for his reading. Jongho leaned back against the wall with a cushion for his lower back and sighed in contentment. This was nice.

He wrapped his arms just under Mingi’s so he could join his hands together across Mingi’s stomach and hold his hyung close. He wanted to stay just like this. Mingi’s weight laid comfortable and warm like heavy blanket on top his body. When Mingi responded with a contented sigh, Jongho allowed himself to snuggle closer with his nose pressing into the man’s freshly washed hair. He pressed a kiss to Mingi’s head and then he finally settled down, closing his eyes.

Technically, it was Mingi’s alone time, the small stretch of an hour or two a day when Mingi would suddenly disappear from the dorm to retreat into the solitude of his room. His hyung really valued having quiet time to be alone with his thoughts or to be able to read uninterrupted by the usual chaos Ateez usually carry with them wherever they go. For that reason, it meant even more to Jongho that no matter how stressed or tired his Mingi hyung was, the man never kicked Jongho out during his alone time.

Of course, Jongho never abused this privilege; it wasn’t often that he encroached upon Mingi’s space at all, and whenever he did, he took extra care to be quiet and to not interrupt the peace even when they used to share the room. If Mingi ever decided to start banning him completely from the peace of his room, Jongho didn’t know if he could ever express how much that would hurt him.

So, he only squeezed Mingi tightly to him once more before slumping against the wall to maybe coax a light sleep to him. The only sounds were the flipping of pages and their soft breathing. But then there was a thud. Mingi’s book plopped down at the end of his bed. Desperate for rest, Jongho didn’t even register the sound nor did he think too much about Mingi twisting in his arms until his pointy chin dug into his stomach. Slowly he blinked his eyes open and caught Mingi’s wide eyes, boring into him with a sharp, pensive stare.

Sensing the danger, a moment too late, Jongho let out a grunt as Mingi dragged him down to the bed and laid his large overgrown body on top of him completely. Great. Now he was stuck between the wall, the bed, and Mingi, trapped on all sides. It wasn’t that Mingi was too heavy for him to handle, in fact he could bench press almost twice his hyung’s weight now, but it was the angles, the squirming of Mingi struggling to stay on top of him, and finally the tickling, that made Jongho give up and submit.

“Uncle, uncle! Okay, fine hyung, please! I’m laying down, okay!” Jongho surrendered breathlessly as Mingi pried the giggles out of him with his evil fingers. Thankfully, Mingi ceased his attack, but he remained close, still practically on top of him with his arms a strong lasso around his chest, tying him to the bed. Mingi grinned a joyful, smirk at the victory and at hearing his friend sound so happy even if a bit forced. But his eyes stayed in their probing gaze, scouring over the maknae’s face.

“Alright, what wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong! Is it so bad for me to hug someone that the world must be on fire too?”

“No, it’s fine that you wanted a hug, Jong-ah.”

“Then why would you ask me that?”

“You seem sad.” His wide, brown eyes filled with something pensive and worried, and Jongho lowered his gaze to his hyung’s blue comforter. Seeing any of his hyungs distressed always set him off too, and dammit he already said that he was fine. It was always different with Mingi especially, because it wasn’t often that Mingi would show just how much something upset him. And for the most part he only ever seemed to get so worried over Jongho. Mingi bit his lip before he continued. “Or maybe rather kind of like distant? I don’t exactly know but you seem lost in your head at times Jjongie.”

Jongho tried to turn away further but there was nowhere to squirm off to. He shook his head, almost wanting to laugh. Mingi was just as sneaky as him, it was smart to trap him in here, where no one would interrupt his investigation. Even though an uncomfortable, leaden ball still tumbled in his gut, Jongho couldn’t help but feel touched by friend’s insistence to take good care of him. He never had to hold back when it was just the two of them alone in a space that was still their little room.

“C’mon, you can tell me.” Mingi poked him gently, when he fell silent for too long, pulled too deep into his thoughts yet again. He forced himself to meet his hyung’s stare as he confessed.

“The choreo for both of our title tracks this comeback were really hard…”

“Yeah, they were extra tiring this time.” Mingi agreed, peering at him curiously. And closely, Jongho averted his eyes even as his body rejoiced at the pleasant feelings of being so squished next to someone. He let some of that pleasantness seep into him and dispel the last of his apprehensions of what he was about to share.

“Mingi hyung… did I do alright? Did I sound good for our stages?”

“Ah.”

Immediately, a large hand came up to cup the back of his head, and Mingi’s fingers worked to lightly scratch and caress his scalp. They alligator rolled until Jongho was pulled on top of Mingi’s broad chest, his ear placed right over the steady beat of his hyung’s strong heart. It was a fine line, between babying and comforting someone, but Mingi always seemed to walk it effortlessly. He spoke softly but said nothing to patronize the boy he held in his arms.

“You were amazing. God, I honestly don’t know how you’re able to do it. You’re the most stable out of all of us and you never half-ass the choreography even when you’re belting it.”

“But did I sound good? Was my singing good enough?” A bit of panic bubbled up inside of him, but Mingi was there to smooth it over, the caress of his hand slipping down to rub the tension out of his shoulders.

“I liked it. You sounded strong like a ballad singer. And I don’t remember any voice cracks at least.”

“Maybe you forgot about them.”

“Maybe you’re hearing things. And if they did happen but were so forgettable then they must have not been that bad.”

Jongho stumbled with his words, stumped without a decent comeback. He knew that he was being overly critical of his recent performances and was scrutinizing every note and step beyond recognition. But he still needed to hear it from his Mingi hyung first that he was being ridiculous before his mind could be put to ease. Every time he tried to unfairly doubt himself, Mingi would be thorough to take apart every strawman argument he constructed against himself. He’d tear down every wall Jongho hid behind, because he was truly his number one fan.

No one insulted Jongho, not even Jongho, and right now the young maknae needed to rest again that unwavering pillar of faith and confidence to keep his perfectionism to crush himself. He gripped tight the front of Mingi’s stretched out sleep shirt as he nuzzled into the other’s warm embrace.

“Okay, okay, thank you hyung. You can go back to reading, I’m fine.”

“Sure, get up for me.”

Mingi still didn’t kick him out of his space. They ended up in the same kind of back hug position from before, but this time Jongho laid between Mingi’s legs with his head cradled by his broad chest. The book rested on top of his stomach, and the warm comfort of Mingi’s arms wrapped around him was exactly what he needed to send him drifting into a light, worry-free nap. Jongho didn’t like kisses, but if Mingi pressed a soft peck to the top of his head when he finished each chapter, then he chose to say nothing about it. He just soaked all of the reassurances in and smiled softly in his sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> <3 Thanks for Reading <3 Comments and Kudos <3 Make My Day <3


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